Hostal Mare Nostrum Blog

Typical Spanish
PART II: "Having the Vermut”

"Making a Vermouth" or “Hacer el Vermut” is to drink a liquor called Vermouth and eat a snack a while before eating at noon, so about 12 hours.
There are several types of vermouth, but perhaps the most traditional one is the red vermouth (or French vermouth) and it is composed of over 40 herbal extracts, roots, flowers, spices and fruits. It is said that the exact formula is only known by four people and it is kept in a safe in Geneva. The most famous producers of this liquor are Campari, Cinzano, Martini and Yzaguirre, among some others.
To "make a good Vermouth", we recommend you to add chips and cockles with Espinaler Sauce and olives stuffed with anchovies. This sauce is made primarily with paprika, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and salt. It's so great!
Where: We will suggest you to go to the mythical Bar Castells at Bonsuccés Square, number 1. Barcelona.
How much: A good vermouth usually costs about 10-15 euros per person.
Hostal Mare Nostrum is a huge fan of what we call “Hacer el Vermut”, so I encourage you to try this custom, which is delicious!
Coming next
PART III: Sardanas and SevillanasPrevioslyPART I: Siesta Time